Larger parent ships often recover smaller surface water vessels, such as manned or unmanned surface water vessels (USVs), and other water-bound objects to perform maintenance operations, to store, or to transport to other locations. Typically, the recovery of a smaller vessel or object is accomplished by positioning the smaller vessel alongside a stationary larger/parent ship and lifting the smaller vessel or object by davit into the parent ship. Similarly, the davit may be used to offload the smaller vessel or object, from the larger/parent ship into the open water
These operations are affected by the elements of the sea environment and mooring arrangements. Even relatively small waves can induce large motions between the parent ship and davit, and the object/vessel being recovered from the open water. Without some sort of compensation for these environmental conditions in which waves induce relative motion between the larger/parent ship and the object being loaded, the safety and performance of loading and offloading operations may be severely limited.
Throughout the years, different solutions have been sought to solve the problem of heave-compensation during different sea states. Computer models have been used to accommodate for the dynamic properties of system elements. Equipment have incorporated mechanical stabilizers to adjust for wave motion. However, these attachments tend to add undesired bulk and complexity to the system apparatus. It is desired to have a davit device that captures, loads and unloads objects onto the parent ship, and passively compensates for heave motions triggered by the environmental conditions of the open water.